Bee all that you can bee for bees
We do love our butterflies, especially the brightly coloured ones. They’ve had a lot of good press lately because of declining numbers in the monarch population. It’s been such a concern that gardeners and non-gardeners alike have been planting milkweed where possible to provide a food source to help them on their way. There’s much concern, however, about the decline of pollinators in general.
Numerous studies in many parts of the world are showing a dramatic fall in insect numbers. They’re essential for agriculture, and essential in a garden where fruiting plants are grown, including our beloved tomatoes. Habitat loss, monoculture farming and the widespread use of insecticides are among the reasons for this decline.
For a long time, many home gardens were unwelcoming to pollinators.
We had monoculture lawns, heavily mulched and tidy flower beds, and until the pesticide act in 2008, there was regular spritzing and spraying of everything in sight, indiscriminately wiping out beneficent insects.
This didn’t end pesticide use, only the formulas changed to comply with the law. Shelves are still filled with sprays and powders to rid gardens of pests, and beneficial insects can be killed just as effectively as before.
One of these important insects that specifically needs our help is the humble bee. Not including the honey bee, a non-native species, there are over 800 distinct types throughout the country, 400 of which can be found in Ontario.
Given the number, you’d think there’d be more bee stings, and it is a concern for people with an allergic reaction, but it’s important to remember that bees rarely sting, simply because bees, unlike wasps, are docile creatures, content to focus on their work, which is collecting pollen.
Only twice in my life have I ever been stung by a bee, and never in my own garden, a place I try to maintain as a haven for them.
It isn’t difficult and helping to raise awareness and provide advice is an organization called Bee City Canada. A federally registered charitable organization, Bee City Canada was founded in 2015 by Shelly Candel, who, while visiting Oregon, saw the outstanding work being done by Bee City U.S.A.
In March 2016, supported by a rarely unanimous council, the city of Toronto became the first Bee City in Canada. There are now 16 more, and if you’re living in Kitchener or Waterloo, you’re living in one because just this year, both cities became registered with the organization. You may have already seen the signs and wondered what it’s all about.
The stated mission of Bee City Canada is to inspire cities, towns, First Nations, schools, businesses and other organizations to take action to protect pollinators. Both Kitchener and Waterloo have websites with information, opportunities to become involved and advice on how to help our bees and other pollinators. These and other cities are listed on Bee City Canada’s website beecitycanada.org.
Meanwhile, here are some of the things you can do to have a bee friendly garden:
Reduce the amount of lawn by enlarging flower beds.
Add diverse species, local native plants and enough varieties to ensure there’ll be a food source from spring until fall.
Keep a corner of the yard undisturbed, without mulch and out of reach of sprinklers or irrigation systems. This is because 70 per cent of our native bees, mostly solitary types, live and nest in the ground, preferably in an area with sandy soil.
Avoid the use of pesticides, even socalled organic ones or home remedies. They’re still meant to kill insects.
In a garden that’s in balance with nature, problem insects are kept in check, bees and butterflies are happy, and we’ll continue eating apples and tomatoes into the future. •••
To chat with local gardeners, share tips, pics, or discuss bees, see Grand Gardeners on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ groups/ Grandgardeners/.